Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The perfect balance of chocolate sweetness.
Texture: CHEWY, of course 🙂
Ease: Super easy. One bowl, no electric mixer needed.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This Brownie Recipe is WAY better than a box mix and almost as easy. It’s my go-to recipe!
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These Chewy Brownies are my go-to recipe when I need a quick, easy, crowd-pleasing dessert. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve made it over 200 times. It’s truly the best!
There’s even a secret ingredient that helps to mimic that box-mix texture (but with way better flavor!).
These brownies are my everyday go-to recipe. Check out just a couple of the 1,000+ 5-star reviews for these best homemade brownies:
Best chocolate brownies ever. Easy to make. I added pecans to mine and we just love them.
I made these and they were soooo chewy. Definitely the chewiest and crackliest homemade brownies I’ve ever made. Great recipe!
The Kitchn tested this recipe, raving about how quick and easy it is! Even Bon Appétit used the recipe as part of their research in their quest to create a perfect chocolate brownie.
Ingredient Notes for Success
Butter and Oil: Melted butter plus oil provides the best taste and texture. This is key!! You can use any neutral flavored oil that’s liquid at room temperature (such as vegetable, canola, avocado, etc.). Make sure your oil is fresh to avoid any off flavors.
Sugar: White/granulated sugar will dissolve more easily into the batter than brown sugar, helping to produce that shiny crust on top. More important notes on sugar below in the Sprinkle of Science section.
Cocoa Powder: I recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper flavor and fudgier texture. Natural unsweetened cocoa will offer a more nostalgic chocolate flavor and a slightly drier but chewier texture. My favorite Dutch cocoa powder for brownies is Penzey’s or Guittard. Ghirardelli is also great in a pinch. Learn more about how Natural and Dutch-process cocoas affect your baking here.
Eggs: Two whole eggs plus an egg yolk for extra chewiness and richness. I never worry about bringing my eggs to room temp for this recipe, and it always turns out perfectly.
Flour: A small amount of all-purpose flour is essential for creating Chewy Brownies — but avoid adding too much, as this can cause dry, cakey brownies. Use a digital kitchen scale to prevent accidental over measuring. If you don’t have a digital scale, use the spoon-and-level method described here.
Cornstarch (secret ingredient!): Cornstarch mimics the texture of box mix brownies, creating thicker, chewier brownies with a nice shiny crackly top. Don’t skip it if possible.
Stop Baking Brownies In Glass or Ceramic Pans!
Struggling with gummy, sunken, underbaked (even raw) or dry-edged brownies? Ditch the glass or ceramic pan and use a light-colored alumnized metal baking pan instead.
Metal conducts heat far more effectively. If all you have is glass or ceramic, add an extra 5-10 minutes baking time. Learn more about the differences between Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here.
Sprinkle of Science (open me!)
If you want that crinkly, shiny thin crust on your brownies, don’t skip the chocolate chips! The key to that crust forming is getting enough dissolved sugar into your brownie batter. This can be tough to do consistently, so adding chocolate chips (which contain dissolved sugar already!) is a great shortcut. Learn more about that shiny brownie crust here.
I’ve done extensive experiments with the amount of sugar in this brownie recipe. The takeaway? Reducing sugar yields drier, crumblier brownies that stale quickly. It also prevents that shiny crust from developing on top.
Storing & Freezing Brownies
Serving: For best texture and taste, allow the brownies to cool to room temperature fully before slicing and serving. Easier said than done! But warm brownies will taste more sweet and won’t be as chewy in texture.
Room Temperature & Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They are fudgier when they’re chilled!
Freezer: Wrap the cooled whole slab or individual slices of brownies in plastic wrap inside an airtight container. Store in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or for a couple hours at room temperature, before serving.
FAQs
Yes! Double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch light-colored metal baking pan (don’t use a glass pan!) and add a few minutes to the baking time.
I prefer no baking soda or baking powder for rich, dense brownies that are not even remotely cakey. If you’re team cakey, don’t even bother with this recipe. It’ll be far too chewy and fudgy for you!
You can, but note that the brownies will be thinner and may not develop that shiny crust on top.
Not only does this make the recipe quicker and easier, but it yields denser, chewier, and fudgier brownies.
I haven’t tested that, but readers have had success with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. You may need to add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if your GF blend doesn’t have any binders.
Yes, replace the butter with an equal amount of a vegan butter block that’s firm at room temperature. Use dairy-free chocolate chips. Or, try my Coconut Oil Brownies with dairy free chocolate instead.
I have not found a suitable replacement for the eggs in brownies yet. Feel free to experiment!
A cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached. For me, 30 minutes yields my perfect brownie that’s just ever-so-slightly gooey in the center. If you prefer a drier consistency, bake for 33-35 minutes.
Surprisingly, the best tool is a plastic knife! Yes, like the ones you buy for a picnic or BBQ. If you don’t have one, use a large sharp knife and run under hot water and wipe off after each slice.
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Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (249 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (74 grams) neutral oil (like vegetable or avocado)
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) cocoa powder*
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch light-colored metal pan** with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, whisking vigorously for 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla, then stir in the oil and cocoa powder.
- With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a cake tester inserted into the center has moist crumbs attached. Do not overcook. Let cool completely to solidify before cutting and serving.
- Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Brownies will be gooey when served warm, chewy when served at room temperature, and fudgy when served chilled.
Notes
More Brownies Recipes You’ll Love:
- Malted Brownies – made with brown butter!
- Toffee Brownies – use store-bought or homemade toffee bits!
- Brookies – cookies + brownies combined!
- Copycat Cosmic Brownies – ultimate nostalgia!
- Oreo Brownies – tastes like an Oreo, but better!
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with additional baking tips and new photos. Recipe photos by Joanie Simon.
Im so glad i followed this recipe. It was just the perfect amount of chewiness and sweetness. My family loved it and so do I. I would definitely recommend and use this everytime i bake brownies.
It chewy but cakey???
Needs more flower and baking powder
I love this recipe, and even made it for my coworkers which went down a treat!
However, is there a way I can make it gluten free as well?
So happy to hear that, Laura! We haven’t tested making these gluten-free ourselves, but other readers have successfully substituted the flour at a 1:1 ratio 🙂 Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
this was an amazing recipe! would def reccomend
I promised my future son in law to make him brownie for him and his wedding party ( 8 groomsmen plus dads) to munch on while getting ready for the wedding which is in less than a week. I would like to make some for my daughter and the bridesmaids too. Using an 8 x 8 pan, even if I used two pans, seems like it would take a long time. I do have a champagne colored brownie pan that is larger that I could use for one batch (9 x 13). Would I double the recipe for this pan size? Is the champagne colored brownie pan going to conduct the heat properly?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Mary! Yes, doubling the recipe is perfect for a 9×13 pan! You’ll just need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time—I’d start checking around the 33-35 minute mark. While we haven’t tested this recipe in a champagne-colored pan, because it’s lighter in color, it should bake just fine. To be safe, keep a close eye on them and use a cake tester or toothpick to check for doneness. Let us know how it goes, and please pass along our well wishes to the happy couple! What a wonderful treat for them to enjoy while they’re getting ready. 🙂
Thank you for the receipt.
It’s a little too sweet for me.
Also, for some reason it didn’t turn out chewy, more like a cake texture
Measured everything precisely
Followed exactly, but used walnuts instead of chocolate chips. Came out way too cake like for me, even took them out early. Probably would not use the cornstarch in the future and will try again.
Nothing but exceptional!
Hello! Iam very excited to make these but could you recommend a vegtable oil? Thank you so much,Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! Vegetable oil is one of those ingredients where store brands or generic options are just as effective (and often cheaper!) as the name brands. I’ve used store-brand oil in this recipe many times with success 🙂
…. I made these brownies and they are my new “go to” recipe! They were EXCELLENT! Thank you SO MUCH!
Yay! So thrilled you love them, Elizabeth 🙂
I never post comments, but had to in this case. I made these for my son’s birthday yesterday and followed the recipe exactly as written (even measuring out the ingredients on a scale, which I normally wouldn’t do). They were definitely the best brownies I have ever made! These will be the only brownies I make from this point forward.
Love the fudginess of the brownie! How can I reduce sweetness?
Is it necessary to be precise about the grams for eggs and vegetable oil?
Hi Fran! Great question. I just added the gram measurement for the vegetable oil to the recipe! We use large eggs in our recipes—if it helps, a large egg (in shell) weighs about 56 grams, and out of shell, around 50 grams. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy baking!
Thank you so much! I really like to be precise. It is very helpful. 🙂
Hey i’ve made these around 7 times already and each time they turn out great! I dont think the grams are needed for the eggs i use 2 large eggs and another for the egg yolk and for the oil i just use 1/3 cup. hope i helped!
Thanks for your sharing 🙂